NRI Councillors express anguish over Delhi gang-rape

London: An emergency meeting of the NRI councillors and the executive committee of the Slough Senior Citizens on Wednesday expressed its deep sorrow and anguish over the circumstances in which a young girl of 23 years lost her life after being gang-raped and brutally beaten in New Delhi recently.

The meeting expressed its deepest condolences to the breaved family and noted that atrocities against women are totally unacceptable and are a violation of the human rights of an individual. The meeting regretted that such incidents were happening in India even after more than 65 years of independence which is a serious failure of the governance at the national as well as state level.

Despite its modernisation, the country has not taken care to promote serious cultural changes so far as the women are concerned. The cases of violence and rape are rising, may be partly due to non willingness to report. Many of the victims are the family members or neighbours of the attackers.

Police attitude is indifferent and delay in registering these cases is common. The meeting also took note of another such incident in Punjab in which a young girl committed suicide after all her efforts to register the rape case proved futile.

The committee proposed that drastic changes in law be undertaken to ensure the dignity and safety of the women. Electoral laws should be amended so that those convicted of the crimes against women are not allowed to contest the elections.

Those who participated in the meeting included Cllr Mewa Mann, Cllr Jagjit Grewal and Cllr Bharat Mittal, besides the representatives of the Senior Citizens.